Brussels, 15/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - In his comments about the conclusions adopted on the creation of the European policy on defence equipment (see EUROPE of 14 May, p.9) at the close of the Competitiveness Council of 13 May, the European Commissioner for research, Philippe Busquin, announced that 25 million Euros of the 2004 budget would be used to support "research into security". These funds will not be taken from the sixth Community framework programme for research, he specified. Greek Development Minister Apostolos Tsochatzopoulos, who chaired the Council, stressed that this measure had been decided unanimously, and that this was the first concrete action towards a European arms policy. Asked about the modesty of the sum involved, Philippe Busquin indicated that it help to lay the foundations of a process, and that larger sums would then be made available in subsequent years.